Light takes a long time

[Ian]

My Mother's bathroom light takes a long time to come on. It's got two "strips" which I've replaced and two starters which I've replaced. From switching on until the light comes on can take a slow count up to 12. When it does kick in it flashes and then comes straight on. Any ideas? TIA Ian

[Ian]

My Mother's bathroom light takes a long time to come on. It's got two "strips" which I've replaced and two starters which I've replaced. From switching on until the light comes on can take a slow count up to 12. When it does kick in it flashes and then comes straight on. Any ideas? TIA Ian

[Palindr☻me]

what wattage is the lamp? Possibly

[mike mulligan]

[Ian]

Go on what's a ballast? The only thing I know about electricity is that it hurts !

- - Regards Ian

[Palindr☻me]

Basically, it is just a coil of wire wrapped around a bit of iron. It odes two things, it helps to light the tube when first switched on. It also stops too much current flowing when the lamp is lit.

They can fail - normally with a disgusting smell. But, IME, if they fail, the fuse blows or the lamp doesn't light at all. Of course if the wrong ballast, like the wrong starter, is fitted - it can ffect the starting performance.

Ballasts normally last a long, long time. Newer fluorescents have a bit of electronics rather than the coil of wire and bits of iron. They also use semiconductors to start the lamp - rather than a bit of metal that bends when it gets hot..